The matryoshka dolls are one of Russia’s most famous symbols, being a souvenir appreciated not only by tourists but also by the inhabitants of this country.
Due to their vibrant looking and their powerful symbolic meanings, these dolls are a great source of inspiration for tattoo artists.
Although they are one of Russia’s symbols, born more than 100 years ago in a location near Moscow, Matryoshka’s first model was a Japanese doll – Fukuruma.
A Matryoshka doll is a set of typically seven wooden dolls made of a single piece of soft wood and hollow on the inside so that they could fit one in another.
The traditional Matryoshka doll is usually round in shape and decoratively painted to resemble a pretty young peasant woman dressed up in an extravagant sarafan costume, a fitting traditional Russian garment.
The name Matryoshka comes from the Russian name Matriona, a popular name in Russia at that time, meaning “little matron”. The Latin root word of Matryoshka is mater, which means “mother.”
Created as a toy, the set of dolls has gradually become a habitual element of decor in Russian houses symbolizing maternity, fertility, wealth, and eternal life. Inked on the skin, a Matryoshka tattoo is a symbol of feminism, fertility, motherhood and family.
Check below our selection of 24 vibrant Matryoshka tattoo designs and get inspired.
